Segmented Field Emitter Layout for Adjustable X-Ray Focal Spots
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional x-ray tubes have limited flexibility in adjusting focal spot dimensions and positions, which restricts the resolution and application of x-ray radiation, as they typically require multiple focal spots with fixed dimensions and positions, making it difficult to achieve high resolution and efficient thermal management.
Innovation Solution
A field effect electron emitter with a segmented emission surface and a control unit that activates groups of field effect emitter needles to create overlapping coherent emission surfaces, allowing for adjustable focal spot dimensions and positions, enabling focal spot jumping and size changes on the anode.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional x-ray tubes use multiple fixed focal spots with different dimensions, then the resolution and thermal management can be optimized for different applications, but the device complexity and number of switchable surfaces increase
Solution Approach 1:
The emission surface is divided into multiple segments that can be independently activated or deactivated. Each segment corresponds to a specific focal spot region, allowing selective activation to create different focal spot dimensions and positions. This segmentation enables a single emission surface to replace multiple fixed focal spots, reducing device complexity while maintaining versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The focal spot configuration is made dynamic through electronic control of segment activation. Instead of fixed physical focal spots, the effective focal spot dimensions and positions can be changed in real-time by activating different combinations of segments, allowing adaptive adjustment without mechanical movement or multiple static components.
2Measurement precision
If the focal spot dimension is reduced to increase resolution, then the x-ray radiation resolution improves, but the thermal load on the focal spot increases
Solution Approach 1:
The emission surface is divided into multiple segments that can be independently activated or deactivated. Each segment corresponds to a specific focal spot region, allowing selective activation to create different focal spot dimensions and positions. This segmentation enables a single emission surface to replace multiple fixed focal spots, reducing device complexity while maintaining versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The focal spot configuration is made dynamic through electronic control of segment activation. Instead of fixed physical focal spots, the effective focal spot dimensions and positions can be changed in real-time by activating different combinations of segments, allowing adaptive adjustment without mechanical movement or multiple static components.
3Measurement precision
If jump focus is used to increase resolution by jumping between positions, then the x-ray radiation resolution improves, but the device complexity increases due to additional switching requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The emission surface is divided into multiple segments that can be independently activated or deactivated. Each segment corresponds to a specific focal spot region, allowing selective activation to create different focal spot dimensions and positions. This segmentation enables a single emission surface to replace multiple fixed focal spots, reducing device complexity while maintaining versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
A single segmented emission surface performs multiple functions that would traditionally require separate focal spots: it can create different focal spot dimensions, achieve jump focus between positions, and provide thermal management. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall device design.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution allows for fewer switchable surfaces and simpler control unit design, achieving focal spot adjustments with fewer surfaces, enabling a more compact and efficient x-ray tube design that can produce varying focal spot dimensions and positions, such as two IEC focal spot classes with a 1.5 difference, enhancing resolution and thermal management.
Implementation Method 1
via especially powerful field effect electron emitters, to map emitted electrons directly, meaning without deflection or focusing, by an electrostatic or electromagnetic deflection unit, onto an anode
Implementation Method 2
The focal spot arises in particular through an interaction between accelerated electrons arriving at the anode, wherein around 99% of the kinetic energy of the electrons is converted into lost heat. The remaining portion typically creates the x-rays.
Data Source
AI summary
A field effect electron emitter comprises a segmented emission surface and a control unit. The segmented emission surface has a plurality of field effect emitter needles and a number of segments, each segment having an activatable part emission surface, wherein the plurality of field effect emitter needles are distributed on the activatable part emission surfaces. The control unit is configured to activate various groups with at least one of the number of segments for a simultaneous electron emission from respective activatable part emission surfaces such that coherent and grouped part emission surfaces able to be activated in succession overlap in pairs by at least 25%.